During the days you will enjoy 'walkabouts' in search of subjects to focus on... with expert photography guidance and tuition you will develop your photographic skills, techniques and creativity to enhance your images depicting the scenes you have observed with your own eyes.

Each evening you will have the opportunity to review your images in small group critiquing and post-processing sessions. If the conditions are favourable, some night photography or (if we are lucky) the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, may grace our skies with beams of light and colour - a definite highlight if seen and photographed.

The Itinerary

Friday 25th April 2014 (D)Departing Hobart CBD at 8.30am we travel to the Mt Wellington and take a guided walk in a selected area for which the conditions will be most favourable for photography purposes. A visit to the summit will be subject to the weather and conditions at the time.Heading south into the Huon Valley we will make a lunch stop at The Apple Shed - home of Willie Smith's organic apple cider. The museum here provides an insight into the apple industry of the Huon Valley and the history of the largest organic apple orchard in Australia. (Lunch at own expense).Huon Bush Retreats (our accommodation for the night) is set in an extensive private nature reserve with a bush walking track network and an abundance of native birds and wildlife - a nature photographer's paradise; the rainforest is fantastic for low-light photography too. We'll spend the afternoon scouting the area for subjects to photograph followed by an evening light and sunset photography session. Overnight: Huon Bush Retreats

Saturday 26th April 2014 (B,L,D)An early wake-up call for a morning sunrise shoot; returning to the cabin after sunrise for breakfast.The morning will be spent continuing with nature photography in the reserve environment - a time when the native birds and wildlife are often most active. It will also be another opportunity to capture the finer details of nature including the textures and patterns in a rainforest environment. After a picnic lunch, we'll travel to Tahune Airwalk and Forest Reserve. Walk amongst the giants of the forest on a cantilever that is 48m above the river level, providing fantastic views of the forests and the junction of the Picton and Huon Rivers. We'll spend the afternoon scouting locations around the reserve for our evening photography shoot.After dinner the opportunity to take a night walk - it can be difficult to photograph nocturnal wildlife but you'll be guided with techniques to improve your opportunities of doing so. A group session for critiquing and post-processing will also be included during the day or evening as time permits.Overnight: Tahune Airwalk Lodge

Sunday 27th April 2014 (B,L)Another early wake-up call... a sunrise shoot with a morning snack to maximise our morning light photography session. The forest reserve doesn't open to the public until after 10.00am so the birds and wildlife may be much more apparent. We will return to the lodge for breakfast.After checking out of our accommodation and packing a picnic lunch we'll travel to the Hartz Mountains National Park. Here is the opportunity for more landscape photography, looking out to the magnificent South-West Wilderness. A walk across the Hartz Plateau through forest and moorland with a diversity of vegetation to Osborne Lake - a glacial lake surrounded by the ancient King Billy Pines - a landscape that has been shaped by ice and fire. A moment of time to enjoy an afternoon tea and a chat about the activities you've enjoyed over the weekend before returning to Hobart.

Highlights

Visit three of Huon Valley’s great locations – the private nature reserve at HuonBush Retreat, Tahune Airwalk and Forest Reserve and the Hartz MountainsNational Park.

Entry fee to Tahune Airwalk and National Park Pass for Hartz Mountains National Park

Things you need to know and other important information

There is no mobile phone reception at Huon Bush Retreats, Tahune Airwalk or Hartz Mountains NP - mobile phone reception will be limited throughout the weekend.

The group will travel in two vehicles licensed to carry up to 4 participants in each; although for maximum comfort we suggest a maximum of 3 participants in each vehicle.

Accommodation at Huon Bush Retreats is in a 2-bedroom cabin/s, twin-share or double room as indicated in your booking with shared bathroom facilities. Each cabin will be booked exclusively for our group. There is no 240 volt electricity or televisions at Huon Bush Retreat; they run 12 volt solar electricity for the lights and music. It is limited in supply.

Accommodation at Tahune Airwalk Lodge is twin-share or double room, as indicated in your booking with shared bathroom facilities. The lodge will not be exclusive to our group.

Single supplement applies for single occupancy rooms.

To guarantee availability of accommodation bookings must be received by 24th March 2014; after this date, booking requests will be subject to availability

Hartz Mountains & Tahune Airwalk - Full Day Private Tour

Magnificent views of remote mountain ranges in the south-west wilderness of Tasmania, landscapes shaped by glaciers during the ice age, walk among the treetops, cross wild rivers and wander along forest trails.